Observed Signal · Apr 29, 2026 · Panel Discussion · Source: Adweek · Impact: 3/5 · Sentiment: Negative
Retail Media Silos and Measurement Hamper Growth
Executives at an ADWEEK House panel held at the Possible conference in Miami discussed persistent challenges slowing retail media growth despite forecasts of nearly $70 billion in spend this year (per Emarketer). Panelists—representing retailers, commerce media networks, brands and adtech firms—said Amazon and Walmart capture the majority of retail media dollars with operating models that are difficult for most retailers to replicate. That concentration, combined with issues around profitability, measurement, collaboration and lack of standardization, has contributed to slow or uneven expansion of many retail media networks and repeated network “resets.” The discussion highlighted the need for better measurement and cross-industry alignment to unlock broader retail media profitability and scale.
Retail media is a large and growing ad channel (projected ~$70B) but its growth is constrained by concentration of spend with Amazon/Walmart and unresolved measurement, profitability, and standardization issues—problems that materially affect advertisers, retailers and adtech strategies.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Retail media spend is projected to reach nearly $70 billion this year, according to Emarketer.
- An ADWEEK House panel at the Possible conference in Miami convened executives from retailers, commerce media networks, brands and adtech companies to discuss retail media challenges.
- Amazon and Walmart account for the vast majority of retail media spend, using scale-and-models many traditional retailers cannot easily replicate.
- Industry challenges cited include profitability, measurement, collaboration and standardization, which have led to repeated resets of retail media networks.
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Retail Media Enters Maturity as Easy Growth Fades
After five years of rapid expansion, retail media is shifting from early-stage growth to maturity. IAB forecasts 12.1% growth in 2026 while Forrester projects global retail media investment could surpass $300 billion by the end of the decade. Growth to date has been concentrated among a few scaled players and fueled largely by trade and shopper funds (estimated 30–60% of spend), which are now diminishing. The next phase requires attracting incremental media budgets, improving measurement and accountability (particularly incrementality and in-store attribution), and integrating retail media into broader business functions — merchandising, loyalty, ecommerce and operations. The industry faces operational and measurement challenges and will discuss these topics at the IAB Connected Commerce Summit on April 14 in New York City.
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